The Punjab Police have arrested Jasbir Singh, a well-known YouTuber, for his alleged involvement in an espionage network backed by Pakistan. Singh, who runs the popular YouTube channel JaanMahal Video, was apprehended by the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Mohali on Wednesday, following specific intelligence inputs.
According to the police, Jasbir Singh was in direct contact with a Pakistani intelligence operative identified as Shakir, also known as Jutt Randhawa. Shakir is suspected to be part of a terror-linked spy network operated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Investigators claim that Singh passed on sensitive information regarding the movement of Indian security forces.
Who is Jasbir Singh?
Jasbir Singh is a 41-year-old content creator from Mahlan village in Punjab’s Ropar (Rupnagar) district. He currently resides in Rupnagar. Singh is the face behind JaanMahal Video, a YouTube channel that has amassed over 1.1 million subscribers. His content primarily features travel vlogs, covering destinations such as Malaysia, the Maldives, Thailand, and other countries.
Apart from YouTube, Singh maintains an active presence on Instagram, where he has nearly 42,000 followers. His bio identifies him as a food vlogger. His most recent post, uploaded just two days before his arrest, showed a video of his son celebrating Punjab Kings' win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL semi-final.
A self-proclaimed cricket fan, Singh is often seen attending cricket matches and is believed to be involved with a local cricket club, as evident from several of his social media videos. His Facebook profile features a tag stating "I support farmers."
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Connection to other espionage cases
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav confirmed that Singh had maintained contact with Jyoti Malhotra, a Haryana-based YouTuber who was arrested on May 15 in a similar espionage case. Malhotra, too, was accused of spying for Pakistan and was reportedly linked to the same ISI-backed network.
Investigators revealed that Singh had travelled to Pakistan three times, around the same periods Jyoti Malhotra also visited the country. He was arrested in Rupnagar, and authorities are currently conducting a forensic analysis of his electronic devices. Several Pakistani phone numbers have reportedly been found on his mobile phone.
Police also disclosed that Jasbir Singh attended Pakistan National Day celebrations at the Pakistani Embassy in Delhi. He was reportedly invited by Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, a Pakistan High Commission official. Danish has since been expelled from India by Indian authorities.
The investigation is ongoing, and police say further arrests and revelations may follow as they dig deeper into the network.
Also Read: Punjab-based YouTuber who was in contact with Jyoti Malhotra held
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